Lockdown
by gift of the gabz
Summary: AU one shot where Barry and Oliver meet as teenagers at Iron Heights which just happens to be on lockdown.


Synopsis: Barry and Oliver meet pre-Gambit, Barry visiting his dad, Oliver on class trip. The prison goes on lockdown.

On to the story...

x x x x

Barry curled himself tighter into a ball, pressing his back securely against the wall as he sobbed into his knees. Feeling truly alone, the way only fifteen year olds could, Barry let the world around him fade into white noise.

He needed this time to himself because once he walked out of Iron Heights and made his way back to the Wests, he needed to be composed and happy. Well… happy-ish. He loved Joe, despite Joe arresting his dad and never believing Barry, he did love the older man like a father, and 90% of the time he was able to treat him as such. But on days like this when his dad had clearly just come out of another trip to the infirmary and only let Barry see him for five minutes because he knew it would worry Barry if he refused visitors altogether, it made Barry's blood boil. Henry Allen was trapped in here for a crime he did not commit, a crime no one but Barry believed him to be innocent of, and a lot of the time it felt like no matter how much Barry wanted things to be different his dad was going to die in prison, a lot earlier than scheduled if his fellow inmates had anything to say about it.

He was so lost in his despair that he didn't register the alarms that started blaring or the way the lights switched to an eery red glow.

Barry was jolted out of his thoughts as pain radiated through his entire body, forcing a yelp through his lips. Uncurling his arms he pushed as hard as he could at the object that had fallen on top of him, the pain blocking him from noticing the object was scrambling to get off him too.

Oliver let out a hiss as bony fingers jabbed into his sides and one elbow somehow whacked him in the shin. Fighting down the instinct to hit back, Oliver tried to ignore the other person, who was doing more harm than good, and work on getting back his own personal bubble of space.

Finally making it to a patch of ground, Oliver immediately turned around and grabbed the flailing hands in his own. "Woah! Hey! Calm down!" Realising yelling at the other boy wasn't likely helping, Oliver immediately lowered his voice, smiling as his words eventually seemed to make it through to the brunette.

As the other boy lifted his head, Oliver felt like a absolute ass as he noticed the tear tracks staining his cheeks. Sure if one of his friends saw him, Oliver would either completely ignore the kid or make fun of him for crying. Except if it was Tommy. Tommy knew Oliver wasn't as tough as he claimed. If Tommy was around, Oliver would simply ask the kid if he was alright without offering much help. But Tommy wasn't here right now and this Oliver, the Oliver who was all alone and scared too, he just felt bad. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to hurt you."

Barry felt his eyebrows crunch in confusion, before he realised that even though the older boy was looking at his face he was actually looking just below his eye point. Barry felt his face heat up as he immediately wiped at his cheeks, clearing away the evidence of his pity party. Ready to stammer out excuses and make sure the other boy knew it wasn't his fault that he was crying, Barry instead cocked his head to the side as the alarm and dim lighting finally registered with him. "Is that the lockdown alarm?"

"Man, you've got to pay more attention to your surroundings, even I noticed the alarms and a lot of people say I don't notice anything." Oliver sighed as he watched the kid flush pink again. "How old are you anyway?"

Barry immediately forgot about his embarrassment and glared at the older boy as he felt indignation fill him. He knew he was small for his age, his mum had always said he'd have a really big growth spurt at the end of high school like his dad did. It just hadn't happened yet, as Iris liked to constantly remind him as she looked down at him. Besides he was sure going through something traumatic stunted your growth even if it seemed like the rest of the world forgot about that traumatic thing. "I'm 15, not 12 and yes my parents know where I am!"

Raising his hands in the universal pose for surrender, Oliver fought the urge to wrap the kid up in a hug. Obviously that was a hot button that he'd unintentionally poked. "I didn't even say anything about your parents but cool. I just thought you looked a little young to be visiting a prison on your own, that's all." Watching as the kid immediately deflated, his eyes starting to water again, Oliver was sure he was about to get whiplash. Ignoring his earlier reluctance, Oliver surged forward wrapping both arms around the other kid holding him tightly as he made shushing sounds the way he would do for Thea when she was upset.

"I was visiting my dad."

The quiet voice that reached his ears sounded so broken that all Oliver wanted to do was take the kid away, lock him up and keep him safe from the world, but even he realised how creepy that sounded as he thought it. "I'm sorry."

"He didn't do it."

Thinking about the kid in front of him who even with the emotional whiplash and outbursts seemed to be a nicer and more well adjusted kid than the majority of the kids in his grade when they were 15, himself included, Oliver felt like he believed him. "Okay. I'm Oliver."

Barry blinked up at the older boy, pushing him away a little so he could see the truth in his eyes. "Okay?"

"Yeah, I believe you."

Barry's breath rushed out of him as if he'd been punched in the gut. No one had ever said that to him before. Even Iris, who humoured him by listening to all his different theories didn't actually believe him when he said his dad was innocent. "Just like that? You don't know me or my dad. Or what he's in here for."

"You're Barry Allen. I know that because the only person in the whole prison who might actually be innocent is Henry Allen, and if you're really convinced your dad is innocent then he must be Henry and you must be his son Barry. We're learning about the prison in my class and when he found out we were coming on this trip my dad made me learn about every single inmate in here. My parents wouldn't be half as upset if the other one died, the way your dad was about your mum during his arrest, so I believe you and I believe him."

"No one's ever believed me before." Barry let the awe of that sink in and decided to not bring up the man in yellow, he'd had enough people laugh in his face that he just wanted to bask in the feeling of someone believing him and he knew even Oliver wouldn't stick around if he mentioned the man in yellow.

They sat in silence for a minute or two while Barry continued to let the feeling of warmth from Oliver's belief fill him. Well it took that time for Barry to realise the warmth he was feeling was physical as well as emotional.

Pulling out of the hug, only slightly embarrassed that he'd not only fallen apart so completely but also let Oliver comfort him for such a long period of time, Barry scratched the back of his neck convinced that the older boy was feeling uncomfortable but wasn't sure how to move away. Despite being afraid to push further, Barry's curious nature got the best of him and Barry blurted out the first thing that came to his mind. "Why are you in here Oliver? Why'd you come running in in such a panic that you didn't even see me here?"

Oliver scoffed and started to say he hadn't panicked before Barry's raised eyebrow had him answering honestly, surprising even himself. "You know how I said my dad made me memorise all the inmates? Well it wasn't some fun or quirky game, he wanted me to know which inmates, in the event of an emergency lockdown or takeover, would be most likely to either take me hostage or hurt me once they realised Oliver Queen was in their midsts."

"No way you're Oliver Queen? No wonder you looked familiar, my foster-sister Iris has a giant poster of you." Barry paused for a second before continuing, "I probably shouldn't have told you that. It's not like it's not true but she'd most definitely kill me if she found out I told you that. Promise me you won't tell her. I mean it's not like you'd meet her anyway, that was super presumptuous. But is it also as presumptuous to assume you wouldn't meet her? Sure you don't run in the same social circles and you live in different cities but we ended up meeting so it's plausible that you could end up meeting Iris."

Oliver blinked in Barry's direction, gently placing his hands on the younger boy's shoulders and giving them a light squeeze. "Woah, Barry one thought at a time, yeah?"

Barry flushed pink as he looked down and scuffed his toe. His brain was always running away from him and unfortunately his mouth tended to follow suit. However, in a surprising turn of events Oliver didn't seem annoyed by Barry, instead there was an open curiosity lacing his obvious confusion.

Focusing his mind, Barry sorted through his brain until he found the question he was most curious about. "Right. The most important ones first. How come your dad wanted you to be prepared to be taken hostage?"

"It was more to scare me into acting before I was taken hostage in the first place. To my father, I'm a liability. Literally. I cost him enough money and he's made it very clear he will not negotiate with any ransom demands. He loves me but not enough to save me if it means putting the company at risk. I've known it since I was a five." Oliver shrugged, using the movement as a way to buy time as he tried to get rid of the knot in his throat. "But it's not like it doesn't hurt to be reminded though, especially when he's the one reminding me."

In a completed turn around Oliver felt the sadness quite literally tackled out of him as Barry's arms came around him in a surprise hug. "I'm sorry Oliver, no one should have to feel like no one would be there to save them were they in pain and hurting."

"Thank you Barry, that means a lot." Surprising himself, Oliver meant what he said. There was something about the endearing honesty that surrounded Barry that made his words count more than most. Though, Oliver amended, it could also be the shadow of pain clouding Barry's eyes that made Oliver think he knew exactly how it felt to be in that situation. Unable to think of anything to ease Barry's own pain, Oliver just hugged him tighter in return.

Extracting himself from the hug, Oliver got to his feet and started pacing, the adrenaline running through him coming to an end as he felt his breaths start to quicken, a panic attack ready and nipping at his ankles. He hadn't had a panic attack since he was 8, it had been something his parents had not supported as it was so far removed from the perfect image they were trying to present. In his looming panic, he couldn't remember the steps his therapist had taught him to keep the panic at bay.

Barry looked up as Oliver started to gasp. Barry could just make out the older boy muttering in between the harsh breaths and immediately stepped in to try to help. Instead he found himself held up against the wall, Oliver's forearm pressed against his chest to keep him in place. "Oliver? Hey, it's Barry. You just need to calm down."

Stumbling back blindly as the words finally permeated his panicked thoughts, Oliver pulled at his hair harshly unable to believe he'd hurt Barry.

Gently pulling Oliver's hands from his hair, Barry wrapped his hands around Oliver's so he couldn't hurt himself anymore. "It's okay, you didn't hurt me. Or at least it was nothing compared to what I get at school. I'm fine Oliver, I'm more concerned about you right now."

Desperately wringing his hands, despite his hands being trapped inside Barry's own hands, Oliver felt an itch run up his spine as the wrongness of the room seemed to cause him physical pain. "Is the room getting smaller? It seems like it is. I know that normal rooms can't get smaller, but some of the inmates here are super smart, they seem like the type that would be able to change the size of a room, or maybe they just dose the visitors with something that makes them bigger. No, that's crazy." Oliver unsuccessfully tried to wrench his hands from Barry's, these thoughts were nuts and he just needed to get out of there. "I need to get out Barry, seriously. I'm going crazy in here. Like actual straight jacket crazy."

Freeing one of his hands now that Oliver seemed distracted again, Barry gently encouraged Oliver to lean forward so his head was between his legs while placing one of Oliver's hands on his own chest. "Okay, now breathe with me Oli, deep slow breaths." The nickname had just slipped passed his lips, and Barry barely had enough mental compartments free to push away the feeling that whatever this was, was progressing too fast. Then again extenuating circumstances and all that.

Still, Barry was sure that once Oliver and he made it out of the prison they would never see each other again. People leaving was just a normal part of his life now. Seeing that Oliver had calmed momentarily but seemed to be gearing up for another panic attack, Barry didn't think about the outcome of his next course of action, he just knew that he needed to help his new (maybe) friend out. "I know 26 ways of breaking out of this prison. 5 are executable from this room."

The shock in Oliver's eyes told Barry he may have used the wrong words to reach his goal. Ducking his head, Barry began berating himself hardly able to believe he'd just given up his chances of getting his dad out of prison for a stranger. Because despite how it felt right now that was who Oliver still was.

"Barry you can't."

Seeing the anger fly across Barry's face, Oliver tried again. "If you get me out of here then they'll know that there's security weaknesses and you might not be able to get your dad out."

Resignation filled Barry's body as Oliver's words finally processed in his mind. "He doesn't want to get out. My dad. He blames himself. He said even if he didn't kill my mum he couldn't stop it from happening. Even if he changed his mind on that he refuses to consider escaping any way but through an overturned conviction. At least this way I get to see if any of my plans are actually executable."

Now that Oliver's worry was fixated on Barry, he felt the panic that had been threatening to overwhelm him fade away. Taking a deep breath in for four counts the way his therapist had taught him, Oliver focused on the problems with the plan.

"If we can make it out of this room and closer to the guards section but remained inside the prison, provided they hadn't yet cleared that section we could get by undetected."

Barry nodded along as he pulled up the layout of the prison in his mind. "Ok, if the fight happened here, which it likely did as that was where 90% of the inmates were meant to be thirty minutes ago, the guards would have focused on clearing the space down this hallway before dealing with the actual inmates themselves. Provided it took them about ten minutes with the inmates and then they started clearing the other halls this way, then we can alter plan 17 and end up just outside the guards station but on the opposite side to where they started the sweep. That way we'll be safe but inconspicuous."

Sitting down next to Barry, Oliver bumped their shoulders together gently, "you're really special Barry, don't let anyone tell you anything else." Smiling at the slight flush that graced the younger boy's cheeks, Oliver became serious again. "Ok, tell me about plan 17."

Five minutes later and Oliver was sure his first prison near-escape was going to be the most physically gruelling task he'd ever had, with the most nerve wracking part to start as they had to open the door for leverage to reach the ceiling tile. Grabbing Barry's hand tightly in his own, Oliver held his breath as he reached for the door and started to turn the knob.

Feeling the knob turning faster than he'd intended was the only warning Oliver had before the door was swinging open towards them. Protective instincts taking over, Oliver turned his body to cover Barry's, flattening them both against the wall and hoping they would not be visible to whoever was about to come inside.

Hearing a throat clear disapprovingly seconds after the door reverberated off the wall, Oliver knew he definitely did not have a future in stealth or protection and now Barry was going to be hurt and there was nothing Oliver could do to protect him. Feeling Barry squeeze their intertwined hands tighter, Oliver told himself to keep breathing and tried to get his heart to stop racing.

"Mr Queen, why is it no surprise that whenever we can't find you, we just have to search for the nearest closet."

Hearing the judgement in his teacher's voice had Oliver bristling, his free hand clenching and unclenching as he tried to calm down for a different reason.

Barry had half a mind to yell at whoever this person was that they didn't know Oliver at all. Keeping a reassuring amount of pressure on Oliver's hand, Barry knew that he had to let Oliver take the lead here. As Oliver took one step back from him, Barry was transfixed as he watched a mask shutter down over Oliver's face, the scared, honest and a little bit jovial person he'd just spent close to an hour with was gone and replaced by a automaton. There was no emotion in Oliver's eyes, even as his lips curled into a condescending smirk tossed in the direction of the guard who was accompanying the man who had addressed Oliver.

"Well your class was just so riveting." Pulling away from Barry complete, Oliver felt his hands shake minutely before he got a hold on himself. "I'll see you later Barry."

Catching the brief flicker of emotion in Oliver's eyes before the mask was back and he was walking out the door, Barry couldn't help but believe he would see Oliver again.

Walking outside five minutes later once the guards gave the prison wide all clear, Barry couldn't help the scowl that crossed his face when he saw Joe and a number of other CCPD officers. He got that they were back up but on the days when he visited his dad in prison the last thing he needed was to see Joe at all, let alone at the prison and walking around free while his dad was trapped behind those walls.

Seeing Oliver loaded onto a school bus at the far side of the yard, Barry nodded his head briefly in his direction before storming past Joe and getting into the backseat of the cruiser. Fishing the headphones out of his pocket, Barry plugged them into his MP3 player hoping Joe would take the message and just let Barry sulk in peace.

x x x x

Looking up at the walls of the prison a week later, Barry pulled nervously at his jacket sleeve. Here's hoping this trip went better than last week's. Securing his backpack back onto his shoulder, Barry headed through the doors, nodding his head at Jason the only guard who treated him and his dad nicely. Weaving through the hallways to get to the visiting area, Barry stopped short at the door when he saw his father was already talking on the phone to someone else. Watching as his dad laughed freely for the first time in years, Barry felt his heart clench. Seeing the light in his dad's eyes grow as he spotted him, Barry's feet started moving of his own accord, coming to a stop beside the occupied chair.

As Henry Allen watch the smile that stretched across his son's face as he said hello to his new friend Oliver, Henry couldn't help but feel like Oliver had given him and Barry back something that had been missing since Nora died. He'd given Barry someone who loved being around Barry just because he was Barry and didn't judge him by what Henry (supposedly) had done and he'd given Henry a gift he would never be able to repay him for, he'd given Henry his son back.

When Barry Allen trudged into the police station years later as he returned from another visit with his father, Joe silently slipped into the break room, knowing better than to say anything to his foster son.

Five years ago when Henry had told Barry he wanted Barry to stop visiting him weekly, Joe hadn't known how to respond. After the lockdown at the prison Barry and Joe had progressed from Barry refusing to talk to either Iris or himself the day before, the day of and the day after a visit to his father, to Barry only refusing to talk to Joe in the evening after a trip to visit his dad. Joe knew he owed a lot to Barry's friend 'Oli', who Joe pretended not to know was Oliver Queen, but once they saw the news story that Oliver had been aboard the Queen's Gambit when it had gone down, Barry had stopped speaking to Joe entirely. It was as if he blamed Joe for taking away his happiness again. Barry had become so volatile during that time that Henry had decided it was doing more harm than good for his son to see him without Oliver by his side to bring them both a spot of joy. Joe had been blamed for that decision too.

So despite his mixed feelings around both Oliver Queen and Henry Allen, Joe respected Barry's right to sulk and brood after a visit to the prison and made sure he was as unobtrusive as possible. That unobtrusiveness extended to the feigned ignorance that Barry had a 'Oliver Queen spotted' board, similar to his 'unexplained phenomena to support his father's innocence' board. Sighing into his coffee Joe stepped back of out the break room as Barry made it to the upper landing where his lab was and ignored his partner snickering at him from hiding from a baby scientist. Given it was close to the fifth anniversary of when Oliver disappeared and when Henry made his decision, Joe knew it was going to be a rough month ahead but for now he might as well work on his cold cases.

Barry kept his line of sight just beyond the tip of his shoes, knowing he was not in the right state of mind to talk to anyone right now. The ball of anger inside of him that he ignored for about 353 days of the year refused to be leashed today and all he wanted to do was scream at the world. Finally reaching his sanctuary, Barry curled tighter into the old sweater of Oliver's he'd found when he'd gone through a box of stuff from high school last week.

Pulled out of his thoughts when he spotted another pair of shoes in his line of vision, Barry tried to stop in time but instead crashed into a hard body. The hands of the person the shoes belonged to managed to catch Barry and hold him upright before he could manage to drag both of them to the floor.

The hands on his body suddenly moved and Barry found himself crushed against a solid chest in a bone crushing hug. "You never stopped looking for me."

As the voice hit Barry's ears, he looked up shocked. "Oli?" Moving his gaze from Oliver's rougher face and significantly more defined body to the board Oliver had been studying, Barry face heated up as he was faced with the evidence that he was right that Oliver wasn't dead and if his sighting board had come true regarding Oliver maybe that meant there was hope for his dad after all.

As Oliver flipped to the board designed to prove Henry Allen's innocence, and attached a photo of himself with one of his new tattoos circled, Barry looked at his friend confused and slightly unable to believe he was real.

"I have so much to tell you."

\- The End -


End file.
